Grinding machine



March 22, 19 2. G. w N 1,850,372

GRINDING MACHINE Filed J ui 5. les 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1932.. 5, w, B|NNs v 1350;372-

' GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 MI] i Imll a I 3W.;M

; 5w Mm- March 22, 1932. w, BlNNs 1,850,372

GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I, 1 ll! Iul Patented Mai. 22. m2

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE GEORGE W. BINNS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CINCINNATI GRINDERS IN- CORPORATED, F CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO GRIN DING MACHINE Application filed July 5, 1929. Serial No. 376,013.

This invention relates to improvements in a grinding machine and pertains especially to what is commercially known as a centerlesstype grinder.

An object of the invention is to provide a grinding machine of the centerless type for performing a plurality of operations on a work piece as it passes through the grinding throat.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine wherein the work pieces are rapidly brought to the grinding position and slowly fed through the grinding zone and discharged therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved rotary means for use with a standard centerless grinder, for permitting successive work pieces of a vertical stack of work pieces to pass vertically through the grinding zone and be discharged therefrom.

A further object of this invention is the provision of improved means for the centerless production of work pieces wherein the idle time or non-productive time of the machine is reduced to a minimum, thereby insuring maximum production per operating hour of the machine.

.A still further-object of the invention is the provision of improved mechanism for the centerless production of work pieces wherein the work pieces are continuously fed through the machine in a vertical stream and the work pieces successively operated upon and reduced to proper size and configuration.

Other objects and advantages of the pres ent invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and it will be understood that any modifications may be made in the specific details of construction and combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3is an enlarged view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of ure 3.

igure 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Figure 4. I

Figure 6 is a sectional view of part of the mechanism shown in Fi ure 5 with the parts in an advanced relations 1p.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are emmounted in opposition to one of the grinding wheels and has its operative surface traveling in the opposite direction to that of the grindin wheels, as indicated by the arrow on the housing thereof. A screw 16 extends from the regulating wheel unit and interlocks with a bracket 17 carried by the bed 10. A pilot or hand wheel 18' is carried by the screw 16 for rotating same and feeding the regulating wheel toward and from the grinding wheel for set-up purposes and for taking up wheel wear, etc.

The foregoing description is characteristic of the standard centerless type grinder, with the exception that in the present instance a plurality of grinding wheels are employed instead of a single grinding wheel, as is generally used.

On the slide 13 at its forward end and beneath the grinding throat between the grinding and regulating wheels is a bracket 19 having journaled at the upper end thereof a shaft 20 supporting a pair of cams 21 and 22. A sprocket 23'is fixedly secured on one endof the shaft 20 for rotating same and the cams 21 and 22. v A sprocket chain 24 ex tends about the sprocket 23 and a second sprocket 25, carried by speed reducer 26 connected in turn by belt 27 to a suitable motor 28 mounted on an extension base 29 of the bracket 19, furnishes the power for rotating shaft 20.

A pair of bars 30 and 31 extend upwardly from the bracket 19 for supporting the angle arms 32 and 33 in adjusted positions, which arms 32 and 33 in turn support vertical guides 34 and 35 on the regulating wheel side of the inding throat, as well as the vertical gui es 36 and 37 on the grinding wheel side of the grinding throat.

The vertical guides 36 and 37 on the grinding wheel side of the grinding throat extend almost to the shaft 20 to protect the work from contacting with the grinding wheel after it has passed through the narrowest part of the rinding throat, as well as to prevent ina vertent displacement of the work pieces from the cams. The guides 34 and 35 have their lower ends spaced above the ends of the guides 36 and 37 and terminating just below the narrowest portion of the grinding throat, thereby allowin a discharge 0 ening for the work pieces beneath the regu ating wheel, as will be described later. These vertical guides 34, 35, 36 and 37 constitute a hopper for holding work pieces and are adapted to laterally position and guide a plurality of work pieces 38 toward the cams 21 and 22.

q The cams 21 and 22 are rotated in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 4 and as indicated by the arrow thereon, and since they are duplicates but one of them will be described here in detail. The cam 21 is provided with a point or nose 39, adapted to be inserted between the lowermost work piece and the next adjacent work piece, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The cam is rovided, adjacent the point 39, with a straight ortion 40 for rapidly bringing the work rom the loading positionto a grinding position within the narrower part between the grinding and regulating wheels. The straight portion 40 terminates in an eccentric portion 41, which gradually draws closer to the center of the shaft and consequently to the point 'as indicated substantially at 42. During this movement, the eccentric 41 gradually lowers the workpiece through the grinding throat to the narrowest part thereof, at which time the work piece rldes on the concentric portion 42A of the cam from the point 42 to the groove orway 43. This concentric portion 42A effects a dwell in the movement of the work to allow for cleaning up and sparking out of the work piece and grinding wheel. As has been mentioned, the concentric portion 42a terminates in a groove or way 43, whose walls are slightly curved but approach very near straight lines for rapidly withdrawing the work piece from the grinding position to a position within the wider art of the grinding throat. The work piece nally rests on the base 44 of the groove or way 43, which base carries it below the lowest points 45 of the vertical guides 34 and 35. The weight of the stacked work pieces holds the lowermost one against the cams and causes it to follow the contour of said cams.

Continued rotation of the cam 21 causes the work piece to travel in the opposite direction through the groove or way 43 when the said cam reaches the position substantially as shown in Figure 6, where the work piece is discharged from the cam groove onto a guide plate, for final delivery to a discharge chute 47 which extends laterally from the machine for discharging work pieces into a suitable receptacle 46 outside of the machine.

In order to properly axially position the work pieces, the supporting arms 32 and 33 have secured thereto a fixed abutment 48, against which the work pieces 38 are held by suitable yielding means such as an arm 49' pivoted at 50 to thevertical guides 34 and 35. The arm 49' is provided with overhanging counterweight 51 which urges the arm 49 against the work pieces, causing them to engage the abutment bar 48 during their travel vertically through the grinding throat. Au inclined trough 52 is secured to the Vertical guides near the upper end thereof, through which work pieces pass and by which they are guided to the vertical guides 34 to 37 in elusive. The abutment bar 48, swinging arm 49 and the vertical guides 34 and 35, 36 and 37, are positioned relative to the grinding wheels 12, so that the beveled ends of the work piece may be ground and cleaned up by the outer two grinding wheels 12a, and 12b and that thecenter of the work piece is opposite the intermediate grinding wheel 120 for having the groove therein formed periph erally of the said work pieces. It should be understood that the vertical lateral guides and axial abutments substantially center the work pieces relative to the grinding throat but that the final centering or positioning of the work pieces is accomplished by the beveled faces of the grinding wheels 12a and 12b contacting with the work as it passes into the grinding throat.

It will be noted that the vertical guides 34 to 37 inclusive, together with the abutment bar 48 and swinging arm 49, constitute a vertical magazine or hopper for supporting and guidin a plurality of work pieces to and througi the grinding throat.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The grinding and regulating wheels are positioned peripherally opposed one to the other, having a grinding throat of the proper width to suitably grind and finish the ends of the work pieces and the central groove therebetween. The arm 49 is actuated about its pivot and the work pieces stacked between properspeed and the motor-2,8 started for rotating shaft 20 and cams 21 and 22 there on. Rotation of cams 21 and 22 will then pick up the lowermost work piece, which at this time may be in engagement with the regulating wheel but not with the grinding wheel because of the flaring portion of the throat at the uppermost point of the cam. Rotation of the cams 21 and 22 allows the work piece to rapidly approach the position where the grinding first commences. The gradual recession of the cam then allows the work to be gradually lowered through the narrowest portion of the grinding throat for proper stock removal. I The concentric portion of the cams, after the grinding has been substantially completed, then holds the work at the narrowest point ofthe grinding throat to permit the work to be cleaned up and the grinding wheel to spark out, after which the work piece drops below the grinding zone and is discharged onto a suitable work receiving track.

What is claimed is:

l. In a grinding machine the combination of opposed grinding and regulatin wheels having a grinding throat between t em, rotating members below the grinding throat having an eccentric surface contacting with a work piece for supporting and gradually passing said work piece through the grinding throat, and means above the grinding throat for guiding the work pieces to the rotating members.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat of a definite size, the throat being enlarged above and below the definite size, means for laterally and axially positioning the work pieces within the throat above the point of the exact size, and means for gradually low ering the work pieces through the portion of the throat of the exact size to a portion below the said exact size portion.

3. In a centerless grinding machine the combination of a plurality of grinding wheels for performing a plurality of operations on 'a work piece and rotating at a grinding rate of speed, a regulating wheel in opposition to the grinding wheels for controlling the rotation ofthe work piece and rotating at a work controlling rate of speed, the grinding Wheels and regulating wheel forming a grinding throat between them, and means for supporting the work piece within the grinding throat comprising a rotatable cam work rest for gradually lowering the work through the said grinding throat.

4. A centerless grinding machine comprising a magazine for a plurality of work pieces, a plurality of grinding wheels on one side of the magazine, a regulating wheel on the other side of the magazine, rotatin means below the magazine for supporting t e work pieces in said magazine, and means for rotating the last mentioned means for advancing work pieces through the grinding throat.

5. A centerless grindin machine comprise ity of work pieces,

ing a magazine ,for a plura a plurahty of grinding wheels on one side of the magazine, a regulating wheel on the other side of the magazine, rotatin means below the magazine for supporting t 0 work pieces in said magazine, means for rotating the last mentioned means for advancing work pieces through the grinding throat, and means for conveying additional work pieces to the magazine to, replenish the supply therein.

6. In a centerless inding machine the combination of a plura 'ty of grinding wheels for performing a plurality of operations on a work piece, a regulating wheel for controlling the rotation of the work piece, the grinding and regulating wheels forming a grind.- ing throat of a predetermined size therebetween and having an enlarged portion above between and having an enlarged portion above and below the predetermined size portion, a rotating work rest having a receding surface positioned below the grinding throat I of predetermined size for lowerin the work pieces from the enlarged portion a ove to the enlarged portion below the predetermined size portion, and means for positioning the work piece relative to the and on the work rest.

8. In a centerless rinding machine the combination of a plurality of grinding wheels for performing a plurality of operations on a work piece, a regulating wheel for controlling the rotation of the work piece, the grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat of a predetermined size therebetween and having an enlarged portion above and below the predetermined size portion, a rotating work rest having a receding surgrinding wheels face positioned below the grinding throat of predetermined size for lowering the work pieces from the enlarged portion above to the enlarged portion below the predetermined size portion, means for positioning the work piece relative to the grinding wheels and on the work rest, said means including a' stop member against which the work pieces abut, and yielding means for urging the work pieces against the stop member.

9. In a grinding machine the combination of a plurality of grinding wheels for performing a plurality of operations on a work piece, a regulating wheel for controlling the rotation of the work piece, grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat of a predetermined size therebetween, the outermost inding wheels having beveled faces exten in toward one another for chamfering the en s of the work piece, a rotating work rest for supporting the work p ece in the grinding throat and having a receding operatlve face for advancing the work piece through the throat, and means for substantially positioning the work piece relative to the grinding wheels, and the beveled faces ultimately positioning the work piece for operation thereon by the grinding wheels.

10. In a grinding machine, the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween through which a work piece is passed to perform an operation thereon, and cam means for engagement with the work piece determining its progress through the grinding throat during the grinding operation and for discharging the work from the grinding throat at the conclusion of the grinding operation.

11. In a grinding machine the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween through which work pieces pass, cam means for determining the progress of the work through the grinding throat during the grinding operation and for discharging the work from the grinding throat at the conclusion of the grinding operation, the said cam means engaging the lowermost work piece of a stack 0 work pieces and the said stack of work pieces yieldingly maintaining contact between said lowermost work piece and the cam means.

12. In a grinding machine, the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween through which work piecespass, cam means for determining the progress of the work through the grinding throat during the grinding operation and for discharging the work from the grinding throat at the conclusion of the grinding operation, the said cam means engaging the lowermost work piece of a stack of work pieces and the said stack of work pieces yiel ingly maintaining contact between said lowermost work piece and the cam means, and means guiding the stack of work pieces to andaligning same with the cam means.

13. In a centerless grinder for successively grinding individual work pieces of a plurality 0 work pieces mounted one above the other, the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grindin throat therebetween, and a rotating wor support having an eccentric supporting surface below the work pieces contacting with the lowermost work piece and controllin its movement through the grinding throat uring the grinding operation, said work support having a portion thereon for separating the said lowermost work piece from the remaining work pieces at the conclusion of the grinding operation and discharging same from the grinding throat.

14.- In a centerless grinder for successively grinding individual work pieces of a plurality of work pieces mounted one above the other, the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween, a rotating work support having an eccentric supporting surface below the work pieces contacting with the lowermost work piece and controlling its movement through the grinding throat during the grinding operation, sald work support having a portion thereon for separating the said lowermost work piece from the remaining work pieces at the conclusion of the grinding operation and discharging same from the rinding throat, and a magazine for guiding t e work pieces to the rotary work support. V p

15. In a centerless grinder for successively grinding individual work pieces of a plurality of work pieces mounted one above the other, the combination of opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween, a rotating work support having an eccentric supporting surface below the work pieces contacting with the lowermost work piece and controlling its movement through the grinding throat during the grinding operation, said work support having a portion thereon for separating the said lowermost work piece from the remaining work pieces at the conclusion of the grinding operation and discharging same from the grinding throat, amagazine for guiding the work pieces to the rotary work support, and means for delivering additional work pieces to the magazine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature GEORGE W. BINNS. 

